Pattern mechanism for knitting machines

ABSTRACT

Pattern mechanism for controlling the operation of a circular knitting machine during stocking forming cycles thereof the pattern mechanism including an endless pattern member, means for continuously advancing the pattern member through a complete selecting cycle during each stocking forming cycle and means for controlling the advancing means to at times cause advance of the pattern member in steps of a first extent during its selecting cycle and at other times to cause advance of the pattern member in steps of the first extent and steps of a second extent during its selecting cycle. The advancing means for the pattern member and the controlling means are operated by common means and the controlling means is adapted to be activated and inactivated during a controlling cycle by means in part controlled by the controlling means and in part controlled by a second pattern member of the machine.

United States Patent Hegemen et al.

[54] PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES [72] Inventors: Rutledge G. Hegemen, Lorane; James I). Moyer, Wyomissing, both of Pa.

[73] Assignee: North American Rockwell Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa

[22] Filed: Nov. 5, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 87,063

[52] US. Cl. ..66/154 R, 66/155 [51] Int. Cl. ..D04b 15/00 [58] 'Field of Search ..66/155, 154 R, 154 A, 50 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,608,336 9/1971 Phillips ..66/155 1,872,598 8/1932 Lawson et al. ..66/154 R X 2,411,303 l1/1946 St. Pierre ..66/155 2,135,185 11/1938 Lawson etal ..66/155 X 1,257,491 2/1918 Klemm ..66/155 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 614,177 6/1935 Germany ..66/154 R 51 Nov. 14, 1972 855,771 12/1960 Great Britain ..66/154 R Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-John R. Bronaugh, Floyd S. Levison, E. Dennis OConnor and Richard A. Speer [57] ABSTRACT Pattern mechanism for controlling the operation of a circular knitting machine during stocking forming cycles thereof the pattern mechanism including an endless pattern member, means for continuously advancing the pattern member through a complete selecting cycle during each stocking forming cycle and means for controlling the advancing means to at times cause advance of the pattern member in steps of a first extent during its selecting cycle and at other times to cause advance of the pattern member in steps of the first extent and steps of a second extent during its selecting cycle. The advancing means for the pattern member and the controlling means are operated by common means and the controlling means is adapted to be activated and inactivated during a controlling cycle by means in part controlled by the controlling means and in part controlled by a second pattern member of the machine.

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I 59 6 O M/ 67330 7672 .32 gal/Q ig Oi 22 i BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventionally, circular knitting machines for forming fabrics such as stockings are provided with a pattern chain or like member for controlling operations of the machine and indexing means which is continuously operated to advance the chain in a pattern selecting step during each rotation or during a plurality of rotations of the needle cylinder of the machine during each stocking forming cycle and with the chain having a length sufficient to control the size of the stocking to be formed. When the size of the stocking is to be changed the length of the chain is increased to form a larger size stocking and the length of the chain is reduced to form a smaller size stocking.

In order to avoid the necessity of increasing or decreasing the length of the pattern chain when the size of the stocking is to be changed mechanism has heretofore been provided to modify the operation of the indexing means to vary the effective length of the chain. In one form of mechanism for this purpose, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,290,903, issued Dec. 13, 1966, the indexing means includes a pawl and ratchet, first means for continuously operating the pawl in indexing movements equal to two teeth of the ratchet, a control cam for the pawl movable between a first position to permit the pawl to index the ratchet and chain in two tooth steps and a second position to limit indexing movements of the ratchet and chain to single tooth steps. The control cam is movedbetween its first and second positions by adjustable control means which is operated by a second indexing means. The second indexing means is activated to index the control means and inactivated to idle the control means by a second pattern member of the machine. The chain is operated in single tooth steps to form the largest size stocking and in both single and two tooth steps to form smaller size stockings.

In another form of mechanism for changing the effective length of the chain, such as that shown-in US. Pat. No. 3,477,253, issued Nov. 11, 1969, the indexing means for the chain includes a ratchet, a first pawl which is continuously operated to advance the ratchet and chain in single tooth steps and a second pawl which is also adapted to advance the ratchet and chain in single tooth steps. The second pawl is inactivated by control means to permit the chain to be advanced only by the first pawl to control the formation of the largest size stocking and the second pawl is activated at times by the control means to act with the first pawl to advance the chain in two tooth steps for the formation of smaller size stockings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized the invention resides in the provision of means for operating a pattern member of a circular knitting machine including first indexing means for continuously advancing the pattern member through a selecting cycle, means for controlling the indexing means to at times cause the pattern member to be advanced in steps of a first extent during a selecting cycle and at other times to be advanced in both steps of the first extent and steps of a second extent during a selecting cycle, and second indexing means for operating the controlling means through a controlling cycle during a selecting cycle of the pattern member. The first and second indexing means are continuously operated by common means through indexing movements corresponding to the advancing steps of the second extent of the pattern member and means associated with the second indexing means limits the advancing movements of the controlling means to steps corresponding to the steps of first extent of the pattern member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a portion of a circular knitting machine having pattern mechanism according to the instant invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the pattern mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism of the machine;

FIG. 4 is s plan view of the mechanism of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale taken in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 8-8 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a view of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 8 but with the parts shown in different operating positions relative to FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but with the parts shown in different operating position relative to FIG. 9; and

. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 11-11 ofFIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is shown a portion of a circular knitting machine adapted for rotary operation to form tubular fabrics such as stockings, the machine including a usual circles of needles, indicated at 10, which are slidably mounted in slots in a cylinder 11 mounted for rotation on a plate member 12 forming a part of a framework 15 of the machine, and a drive shaft 16 which is adapted to rotate the cylinder through gears (not shown) in a conventional manner. The machine has a plurality of knitting stations 17 each of which is provided with yarn fingers 20 for feeding yarns to the needles and sinkers, and cam means (not shown) for operating the needles and sinkers to form knitted courses of the stockings. Also the machine is provided with a first pattern means in the form of a cam drum 2]. and a second pattern means indicated generally at 22 in FIG. 3.

The cam drum 21 (FIG. 1) which is provided with the usual circumferential rows of cam members or bits 25 for controlling operating mechanisms of the machine, is adapted to be indexed in pattern selecting steps through a complete rotation during each stocking knitting cycle by indexing means, diagrammatically indicated at 26. The indexing means 26, which is disclosed in more detail in US. Pat. No. 3,605,449 and assigned to the assignee of the instant application, is operated by cams 27 carried on one end of a shaft 30 rotatably mounted in the framework 15. The shaft 30 is rotated through a complete revolution during two rotations of the needle cylinder 11 from the shaft 16 by spur gearing 31.

The second pattern means 22 which is also adapted to control operating mechanism of the machines, including the cam drum 21, includes an endless flexible band or card 32 of opaque synthetic material, such as Mylar or the like, which is trained around a drum 35 mounted on a sleeve member 36 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 37 secured in fixed position in the framework (FIGS. 4 and 11). A collar 38, secured to the other end of the sleeve member 36, carries a pin 39 for engagement in a slot 43 in the drum 35 to cause the drum to rotate with the sleeve member and collar. The drum 35 is provided with a circumferential row of pins or teeth 40 (FIG. 11) for engaging a row of spaced openings 41 (FIG. 4) extending lengthwise of the card 32. The drum 35 is adapted to be continuously indexed in steps by means and in a manner hereinafter set forth, to move the card 32, in a pattern selecting step during each rotation of the cylinder 11 throughout each pattern selecting cycle, past a control or selecting station 42. The station 42 preferably includes photo-electric devices 45 of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,439,513, issued Apr. 22, I969 for reading rows of lines of indicia extending lengthwise of the card in the form of openings or transparent portions formed in the card to electrically institute operations of the cam drum 21 and other operating mechanisms to be controlled by the second pattern means 22. The card 32 and photo-electric reader devices 45 of the second pattern means 22 are shown for illustrative purposes only and form no part of the instant invention.

The means for indexing the drum 35 to move the card in its pattern selecting steps includes a ratchet 46 which is mounted on and secured to the inner end of the sleeve member 36 as by a key 47. The ratchet 46 is provided with teeth 50 adapted to be engaged by a nose portion 51 of pawl 52 mounted for pivotal movement on one end of a pin 55 carried in an arm 56 of a lever 57 mounted for oscillating movement on a hub 58 of the ratchet 46 (FIGS. 3, 4, 9 and 11). The free end of the arm 56 of lever 57 is pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 60. Secured to one side face of the other end 59 of the connecting rod 60, as by screws 61, is a block 62 for sliding engagement in an elongated slot 65 in an arm 66 ofa lever 67 (FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6) loosely carried on the shaft 30 adjacent the end thereof opposite to the end on which the cams 27 are mounted. Ears 68 provided on the block 62 for sliding engagement with one face of the arm 66 maintain the end 59 of the connecting rod 60 in sliding engagement with the other face of arm 66 (FIG. 7). Carried in andextending from the other side face of the end 59 of the connecting rod 60 is a roller follower 70 adapted to engage in a closed cam track 71 formed in one face of a disc 72 secured to the shaft 30 adjacent lever 67, as by key 73 (FIGS. 5 and 6) for rotation with the shaft. The cam track 71 is provided with an opposed pair of high portions 75 and connecting low portions 76 (FIG. 2), the

high portions acting through follower and connecting rod 60 to turn the lever 57 and pawl 52 in a clockwise or indexing direction and low portion acting to turn lever 52 in a resetting direction, as viewed in FIG. 8, through distances equal to two teeth of the ratchet 46 twice during each rotation of the shaft 30.

As above noted the high and low portions of the cam track 71 in the disc 72 are arranged to normally move the pawl 52 two teeth of the ratchet 46 in the resetting and indexing directions which in turn will also result in the movement of the card 32 in pattern selecting steps equal to the two teeth indexing movements of the ratchet 46. Also, it is believed to be obvious from the foregoing that since the shaft 30 and the disc 72 are rotated one revolution during each pair of rotations of the needle cylinder 11, one of the high portions of the cam track will index the I ratchet 46 in one pair of cylinder rotations and the other high portion of the cam track will index the ratchet in the other cylinder rotation of the pair. However, at times it is desired to limit the indexing steps of the ratchet by the pawl to single tooth steps to advance the card throughout a pattern selecting cycle and at other times to index the ratchet in both one and two tooth steps to advance the card during its pattern selecting cycle.

In order to control the single and two tooth indexing movements of the ratchet 46 by the pawl 52, the pawl is provided with a tail portion 77 having secured thereto, as by screws 78, a block or plate 79 with an inner surface 80 for engagement with a pin 81. The pin 81 projects from the free end of a lever 82 secured to the inner end of a sleeve 85 rotatably mounted on a stud 86 carried in fixed position in the framework 15. The sleeve 85 and lever 82 have a first position, the position indicated in FIG. 8, in which the surface 80 coacts with the pin 81 to lift the nose portion 51 and prevent it from engaging the teeth of the ratchet 46 when the pawl is at the end of its movement in the reset direction, as shown in FIG. 9, but permits the nose portion to engage the ratchet teeth and index the ratchet a single tooth during movement of the pawl in the indexing direction. On the other hand, when the lever and sleeve are moved counterclockwise from the first position to a second position, as indicated in FIG. 10, the surface 80 and pin 81 coact in a manner that permits engagement of the pawl 52 with the teeth of the ratchet at the end of its movement in the reset direction and results in a two teeth advance of the ratchet during the subsequent movement of the pawl in the indexing direction. A spring 87 connected between the tail portion 77 and the lever 57 tends to bias the nose portion 51 of the pawl 52 toward engagement with the ratchet.

Movements of the lever 82 and pin 81 between the first and second positions are controlled by a lever 90 mounted on the sleeve 85 the sleeve and lever 90 having interfitting surfaces which constrain them to rotate together about the axis of the sleeve but which also permit axial movement of the lever 90 on the sleeve. The lever 90 has a nose portion 91 adapted for engagement with a disc 92, which as will be noted hereinafter is used for the production of the largest size of stocking, and a plurality of similar discs each one of which is used for the production of a smaller size stocking. The discs 92 and 95 are carried on and secured, as by key 96, to a sleeve member 97 rotatably mounted on the sleeve 36 (FIG. 11). A spring 93 connected between a depending portion 94 of the lever 82 and the framework normally tends to bias the lever toward its second position and lever toward engagement with the discs 92 and 95. The sleeve member 97 and discs 92 and are adapted to be rotated in steps by a ratchet 100 mounted on a secured to the inner end of the sleeve by the key 96. The ratchet 100 is provided with teeth 101 having the same spacing as but being directed oppositely to' the teeth 50 of the ratchet 46. The teeth of the ratchet 100 are adapted to be engaged by a nose portion 102 of a pawl 105 pivotally mounted on the pin 55 carried in the lever 57. The pawl 105, which is normally moved with the pawl 52 by the lever 57 through indexing steps equal to two teeth of the,

ratchet 100, is provided with a tail portion 106 having a plate or block 107 secured thereto as by screws 110 (FIG. 8). The block 107 has an inner surface 111 for engagement with a pin 1 12 mounted in fixed position in the framework 15 the surface 111 and pin 112 coacting to prevent engagement of the pawl with one of the two teeth during each indexing movement thereof to limit the indexing moves of the ratchet to a single tooth. A spring 115 connected between the tail portion 106 of the pawl 105 and the lever 57 normally tends to bias the pawl toward the ratchet 100.

The ratchet 100 and discs 92 and 95 are. idled at times, for purposes hereinafter set forth, by idling portions, one of which is shown at 116 in FIG. 8, formed on the ratchet by omitting one of the teeth 101 thereof, the idling portions when positioned beneath the pawl 105 acting to prevent engagement of the pawl with the teeth of the ratchet during movements of the pawl in the indexing direction. The ratchet 100 is adapted to be indexed one tooth to move the idling portions 1 16 from pawl idling position, to again permit indexing movements of the ratchet 100 by the pawl 105, by one arm 1 17 of a lever 120 pivotally mounted on a stud 121 carried in fixed position in the framework 15 (FIGS. 3 and 4). A second arm 122 of the lever 120 has an end portion 125 extending transversely thereof through a hole 126 in the framework 15, the end portion 125 having an adjustable set screw 127 for engagement with cam bits, one of which is shown at 130, on the cam drum 21. A spring 131 connected between the arm 117 of lever 120 and the framework (FIGS. 3 and 8) normally tends to bias the lever 120 to an inactive position, determined by engagement of end portion 125 with the annular surface defining the hole 126, in which a nose portion 132 of the arm 117 is out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 100. When a cam bit on the cam drum is moved into engagement with the set screw 127 in the end portion 125 the lever 120 is turned clockwise from its position of FIG. 8 to engage the nose portion 132 with the ratchet 100 to advance it one tooth to move the idling portion 1 16 from pawl idling position.

The disc 92 is provided with an unbroken outer peripheral surface 135 which acts on nose portion 91 of the lever 90 to maintain the lever 82 and pin in their first positions throughout each rotative cycle of this disc to permit only single tooth indexing movements of the ratchet 46 by the pawl 52. The discs 95, are pro vided with high surfaces 136 at the level of the surface 135 of the disc 92, which act on the lever 90 to maintain the lever 82 and pin 81 in their first position, and

low surfaces 137, which act on the lever 90 to position the lever 82 and pin 81 in their second position to permit the pawl 52 to index the ratchet in two tooth steps as hereinbefore set forth. The low surfaces 137, which alternate with the high surfaces 136 on the discs 95, vary in length on the different discs to in turn vary the number of the two tooth indexing movements of the ratchet and card 32 as required for the production of a particular stocking size represented by each disc 95.

The lever 90 is adapted to be moved axially along the sleeve 85 to different adjusted positions to align it with the disc 92 or one of the discs 95. For this purpose the lever 90 is embraced by arms 140 of a lever 141 mounted for both pivotal and axial sliding movements on a stub shaft 142 secured in fixed position in the framework 15 (FIGS. 4 and 8). The lever 141 has a second arm or handle 145 by means of which the lever 141 may be axially adjusted on the stub shaft 142 to move the lever 90 to its different adjusted positions.

The handle 145 has a depending V-shaped portion 146 for engagement in V-shaped notches 147 formed in the upper surface of a plate 150 carried on a bracket 151 secured to the framework 15 as by bolts 152. A spring 155 connected between the lower end of the lever 90 and a depending arm 156 of the lever 141 normally tends to bias the lever 141 and V-shaped portion 146 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 8, into engagement with one of the notches to maintain the levers 90 and 141 in each adjusted position. I

The card 32 is of a length sufficient to control the machine in forming the courses required to produce the largest size stocking when the card is advanced in pattern selecting steps equal to a single tooth indexing movement of the ratchet 46 during each rotation of the needle cylinder throughout the stocking knitting cycle. When the largest size stocking is to be formed the lever 90 is aligned with the disc 92 to hold the lever 82 and pin 81 in the first positions to limit the indexing movements of the ratchet 46 by the pawl 52 to single tooth steps. At the start of the knitting cycle an idling portion 116 of the ratchet 100 is positioned beneath the pawl 105 to prevent the pawl from indexing the ratchet 100 and discs 92 and 95 during its indexing movements as above set forth. Thereafter as the machine is operated through its stocking knitting cycle, at a predetermined point in the leg portion of the stocking the lever 120 is operated by a cam bit 130 during an indexing move of the cam drum 21 instituted by the card 32 to advance the ratchet 100 one tooth to remove the idling portion 1 16 from beneath the pawl 105 to permit it to index the ratchet and discs until a second idling portion 116 is moved into position to again idle the pawl 105. At a predetermined point in the foot of the stocking the lever 120 is again operated by a cam bit 130 during a move of the cam drum to advance the ratchet 100 one tooth to remove the second idling portion 106 from beneath the pawl 105 to permit it to index the ratchet and discs until the first mentioned idling portion is moved into position to idle the pawl and complete the rotative cycle of the ratchet and discs.

When a smaller size stocking is to be formed the position of the lever 141 is adjusted to align the lever 90 with one of the discs 95 appropriate to the particular stocking size and the pawl 105 is idled by an idling portion 1 16 on the ratchet 100 as set forth. At this time the nose portion 91 of the lever 90 is on high surface 136 of the disc 95, as shown in FIG. 8 to hold the lever 82 and pin 81 in their first positions to limit the indexing movements of the ratchet 46 by the pawl 52 to single tooth steps during the formation of the initial portions of the stocking. At the above mentioned point in the leg of the stocking the ratchet 100 is moved one tooth by the lever 120 to permit the pawl 105 to start indexing the ratchet and discs as above set forth. As the ratchet is indexed the lever 90 rides from the high surface 136 to a low surface 137 of the disc to cause movement of the lever 82 and pin 81 to the second position to pemiit the pawl 52 to index the ratchet 46 in two tooth steps, with each two tooth step causing the card 32 to also advance two steps thus in effect eliminating one cylinder rotation and the courses formed thereby from the effective length of the card, until the lever 90 rides onto the following high surface 136 of the disc. The pawl 105 is then idled by the second idling portion 1 16 to stop the ratchet and discs with the lever 90 in engagement with another high surface 136 to limit the indexing movements of the ratchet 46 to single tooth steps. In the foot portion of the stocking the lever 120 is again operated to advance the ratchet 100 one tooth to permit indexing movements thereof by the pawl 105 until it is again idled by the first of the idling portions 116. During the latter indexing movements of the ratchet 100 and discs the lever 90 rides from a high surface to a low surface of the disc to change the indexing movement of the ratchet from single to two tooth steps, to again in effect eliminate the required cylinder rotations and the courses formed thereby from the effective length of the card, and from the low surface to a high surface to again change the indexing movements of the ratchet 46 to single tooth steps until the stocking knitting cycle is completed.

It will be understood that the improvement specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotatable cylinder, needles in said cylinder adapted to be operated to form course of a fabric during a fabric forming cycle, a first pattern member for controlling operations of said machine during each fabric forming cycle, first indexing means for continuously advancing said first pattern member in pattern selecting steps during each rotation of said cylinder throughout each said fabric forming cycle control means for said first indexing means operable to cause said first indexing means to at times advance said first pattern member in steps of a first extent and at other times to advance said first pattern member in steps of a second extent, second indexing means for operating said control means through a rotative cycle during each fabric forming cycle of the machine, common means including a lever and cam means operable to move said lever in a first direction to operate said first indexing means to advance said first pattern member and to move said lever in a direction opposite to said first direction to operate said second indexing means to index said control means and means for controlling said second indexing means to cause said second indexing means to index said control means in steps correspon ng to said advancing steps of said first extent of said first pattern member, said control means including a control lever operable between a first position to cause said first indexing means to advance said first pattern member in said steps of said first extent and a second position to cause said first indexing means to advance said first pattern member in said steps of said second extent, means operable during indexing movements of said control means by said second indexing means for controlling the movement of said control lever between said first and second positions, said means for controlling movement of said control lever between said first and second positions including a first disc adapted to maintain said control lever in said first position throughout a rotation cycle of said control means, a plurality of second discs adapted to control the movement of said control lever between said first and second positions during a rotative cycle of said control means, and a second lever for engagement with said first and second discs to position said control lever in said first and second positions. 

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotatable cylinder, needles in said cylinder adapted to be operated to form course of a fabric during a fabric forming cycle, a first pattern member for controlling operations of said machine during each fabric forming cycle, first indexing means for continuously advancing said first pattern member in pattern selecting steps during each rotation of said cylinder throughout each said fabric forming cycle, control means for said first indexing means operable to cause said first indexing means to at times advance said first pattern member in steps of a first extent and at other times to advance said first pattern member in steps of a second extent, second indexing means for operating said control means through a rotative cycle during each fabric forming cycle of the machine, common means including a lever and cam means operable to move said lever in a first direction to operate said first indexing means to advance said first pattern member and to move said lever in a direction opposite to said first direction to operate said second indexing means to index said control means and means for controlling said second indexing means to cause said second indexing means to index said control means in steps corresponding to said advancing steps of said first extent of said first pattern member, said control means including a control lever operable between a first position to cause said first indexing means to advance said first pattern member in said steps of said first extent and a second position to cause said first indexing means to advance said first pattern member in said steps of said second extent, means operable during indexing movements of said control means by said second indexing means for controlling the movement of said control lever between said first and second positions, said means for controlling movement of said control lever between said first and second positions including a first disc adapted to maintain said control lever in said first position throughout a rotation cycle of said control means, a plurality of second discs adapted to control the movement of said control lever between said first and second positions during a rotative cycle of said control means, and a second lever for engagement with said first and second discs to position said control lever in said first and second positions. 